As readers of this Newsletter will be aware, we are undertaking a strategic review of how we address our remit. Many will no doubt be aware, too, of the context for the review: the most serious challenges for the public finances in decades, a severe reduction in funding for the arts, and many social, economic and technological changes in our world.

The strategic review steering group, with its independent chairman Terence O'Rourke, will make a report to the Arts Council's annual policy plenary meeting in June, and this will help inform the Art Council’s future strategic planning. A very significant part of the review process will be dialogue with stakeholders, key informants and the wider public.

This month the steering group is publishing a briefing document outlining a number of different propositions, and is now seeking responses to it – if you have something to say, we want to hear it!

Over the next ten days, we will be holding meetings with artists and arts organisations in Cork, Dublin and Sligo, and also with key individuals and groups at the Arts Council's offices in Merrion Square.

The main way to respond, however, is by making a submission through our website, www.artscouncil.ie. As well as the briefing document, you will find a range of other background documents here which you may find useful. If you would like to make a submission, please read the briefing document first, consider your responses, then click on the submission button. Different stakeholders will have different areas of interest or expertise. You need only respond to the prompts or questions you want; just leave the others blank.

Elsewhere in this month's Newsletter, don't miss the chance to sign up for our Arts Audiences Google@theArts Day; our highly-successful tour of Richard Mosse's The Enclave, which represented Ireland at the Venice Biennale last year, continues in Limerick; and take careful note of the closing dates for our schemes, grants and awards.

Yours sincerely,

Orlaith McBrideDirector

Splanc!

The Arts Council and TG4 invite submissions for the 8th season of Splanc! - the arts documentary scheme that supports the creative exploration of the arts in Ireland.

The exhibition of Ireland’s representation at the 55th International Venice Art Biennale continues at 6a Rutland Street and Ormston House, Limerick until May 5, as part of the City of Culture Programme.

€755,024 granted for 26 tours from July to December 2014 and for 2 Advance Planning tours taking place in 2015

The Arts Council has announced details of successful applicants under the Touring and Dissemination of Work Scheme 2014, round 2 (for tours starting between Julyand December 2014) and 2015 – Advance Planning (for tours requiring advance planning in 2015).